What is free flap reconstruction?

What is free flap reconstruction surgery? “Free flap,” also known as “free tissue transfer,” is a term for a procedure in which tissue and its blood supply (artery and vein) are surgically removed from one part of the body and transferred to another area of the body for the purpose of reconstruction.

How long does a free flap take to heal?

The donor area of partial thickness skin grafts usually takes about 2 weeks to heal. For full thickness skin grafts, the donor area only takes about 5 to 10 days to heal, because it’s normally quite small and closed with stitches.

What is pedicled flap?

In a pedicle TRAM flap procedure, the surgeon cuts a section of skin, muscle, fat and blood vessels from your abdomen, tunnels the tissue underneath your skin to its new location, and uses it to form a new breast mound.

What is a flap revision?

Revision of a DIEP flap reconstruction involves tightening and adjusting the skin and contouring the underlying fat.

Does flap surgery hurt?

Most patients experience some discomfort after a flap procedure. Depending on your needs, we may prescribe pain medication or recommend over-the-counter medicine. It is important to relax after surgery, as strenuous activity may cause the treated area to bleed.

How long does breast flap surgery take?

The tiny blood vessels in the flap, which will feed the tissue of your new breast, are matched to blood vessels in your chest and carefully reattached under a microscope. DIEP flap reconstruction surgery takes about 6 to 8 hours.

How long does a flap surgery take?

What is the difference between a flap and a graft?

A “skin graft” is the transfer of a portion of the skin (without its blood supply) to a wound. A “flap” consists of one or more tissue components including skin, deeper tissues, muscle and bone.

What are the four main types of flaps?

Here’s how they work.

• 1) Plain Flaps. The most simple flap is the plain flap.
• 2) Split Flaps. Next up are split flaps, which deflect from the lower surface of the wing.
• 3) Slotted Flaps. Slotted flaps are the most commonly used flaps today, and they can be found on both small and large aircraft.
• 4) Fowler Flaps.

How many types of free flaps are there?

Four types of free flaps have been used in finger reconstruction from the ipsilateral extremity, including arterialized venous flap (AVF) [13], superficial palmar branch of the radial artery (SPBRA) flap [14], posterior interosseous perforator flap (PIPF) [15], and ulnar artery perforator free (UAPF) flap [16].

What is covered by a flap like tissue?

Flaps composed of one type of tissue include skin (cutaneous), fascia, muscle, bone, and visceral (eg, colon, small intestine, omentum) flaps.

Who does flap surgery?

Surgery Overview A flap procedure cleans the roots of a tooth and repairs bone damage caused by gum disease. A gum specialist (periodontist) or an oral surgeon often performs the procedure. Before the procedure, you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the area where the doctor will work on your gums.

When to use free skin and fasciocutaneous flaps?

Free skin and fasciocutaneous flaps are indicated for complex reconstruction of skin and fasciocutaneous defects of the head and neck, chest and abdomen, upper and lower extremities. This may involve applications as varied coverage of exposed vital structures or contour reconstruction such as breast reconstruction.

How are skin flaps and fascia flaps selected?

Skin flaps and fascia flaps are usually selected to follow Millard’s principle of replacing tissue with like tissue. If a full thickness skin and fascia defect is created by tumor extirpation, skin flap with fascia would replace the defect with the same kind of tissue that has been lost.

Where are the flap taken from in the thigh?

Lateral and medial thigh flap: Taken from the sides of the thigh. Anterolateral thigh flap: Taken from the front of the thighs. Posterior or gluteal thigh flap: Taken from the back of the thigh or near the biceps. Dorsalis pedis flap: Taken from the upper portion of the feet.